Self-retracting device harness tunnel adapter

Abstract

An adapter includes an extending body adapted to maintain an open volume between two sections of the webbing extending between two spaced slots and an upper surface of a D-shim of a safety harness so that a section of a connector may be passed through the volume to removably connect the connector to the safety harness. The extending body of the adapter is formed separately from the D-shim and from a D-ring of the safety harness. The extending body is configured to be placed within a looped volume between the two sections of the webbing extending between the two spaced slots and an upper surface of the D-shim with the D-ring connected to the two sections of the webbing extending between the spaced slots.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An adapter for use to connect a connector to a safety harness, the connector being adapted to connect a device to the safety harness, the safety harness including webbing and a D-shim, the D-shim including spaced slots through which each of two sections of the webbing pass, a D-ring being connected via a connector passage in the D-ring to the two sections of webbing passing between the spaced slots, the adapter comprising: an extending body adapted to maintain an open volume between the two sections of the webbing extending between the spaced slots and an upper surface of the D-shim so that a section of the connector may be passed through the open volume maintained between the two sections of the webbing to removably connect the connector to the safety harness, the extending body of the adapter being formed separately from the D-shim and from the D-ring, the extending body being configured to be placed into a looped volume between the two sections of the webbing extending between the spaced slots and the upper surface of the D-shim with the D-ring connected to the two sections of the webbing extending between the spaced slots. 
     
     
         2 . The adapter of  claim 1  wherein the extending body comprises an extending base, an extending webbing support spaced from the extending base, and an intermediate member connected between the extending base and the extending webbing support. 
     
     
         3 . The adapter of  claim 2  wherein the intermediate member divides the open volume into a first volume on a first side of the intermediate member and a second volume on a second side of the intermediate member when the adapter is connected to the safety harness, a portion of the D-ring being positioned within the first volume, wherein the connector may be passed through the second volume. 
     
     
         4 . The adapter of  claim 1  wherein the extending body comprises a conduit comprising an extending passage therethrough which forms the open volume through which the connector can be passed. 
     
     
         5 . The adapter of  claim 4  wherein the extending body is configured to be placed adjacent to the D-ring when the adapter is placed into the looped volume. 
     
     
         6 . The adapter of  claim 1  wherein the extending body comprises an extending slot through which a portion of the D-ring is passed to be positioned within an extending passage formed within the extending body. 
     
     
         7 . The adapter of  claim 1  wherein the extending body comprises an extending passage which forms the open volume through which the connector can be passed. 
     
     
         8 . The adapter of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of an upper surface of the extending body of the adapter is configured to support the two sections of the webbing. 
     
     
         9 . The adapter of  claim 8  wherein at least a portion of the upper surface is concave. 
     
     
         10 . The adapter of  claim 8  further comprising a first upward extending flange on a first lateral end of the portion of the upper surface and a second extending flange on a second lateral end of the portion of the upper surface. 
     
     
         11 . The adapter of  claim 8  further comprising a first extending member on a first lateral end of the portion of the upper surface and a second extending member on a second lateral end of the portion of the upper surface, each of the first extending member and the second extending member being configured to extend laterally over at least a portion of the two sections of the webbing therebetween. 
     
     
         12 . The adapter of  claim 1  further comprising at least one member extending downward from the extending body of the adapter which is configured to extend into at least one of the spaced slots. 
     
     
         13 . The adapter of  claim 1  further comprising a first member extending downward from the extending body of the adapter which is configured to extend into at least one of the spaced slots and a second member extending downward from the extending body of the adapter which is configured to extend into another of the spaced slots. 
     
     
         14 . A method of providing for removable connection of a connector to a safety harness, the connector being adapted to connect a device to the safety harness, the safety harness including webbing and a D-shim, the D-shim including two spaced slots through which each of two sections of the webbing pass to connect to a D-ring via a connector passage in the D-ring, the method comprising: positioning an adapter within a looped volume formed in the two sections of the webbing passing between the two spaced slots, the adapter comprising an extending body adapted to maintain an open volume between the two sections of the webbing extending between the two spaced slots and an upper surface of the D-shim so that the connector may be passed through the open volume to removably connect the connector to the safety harness, the extending body of the adapter being formed separately from the D-shim and from the D-ring, the extending body being configured to be placed into the looped volume between the two sections of the webbing extending between the two spaced slots and an upper surface of the D-shim with the D-ring is connected to the two section of webbing extending between the two spaced slots. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising tightening the two sections of the webbing over the adapter after placing the connector into the looped volume. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the extending body comprises an extending base, an extending webbing support spaced from the extending base, and an intermediate member connected between the extending base and the extending webbing support. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the intermediate member divides the open volume into a first volume on a first side of the intermediate member and a second volume on a second side of the intermediate member when the adapter is connected to the safety harness, a portion of the D-ring being positioned within the first volume, and wherein the connector is passed through the second volume. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the extending body comprises a conduit comprising an extending passage therethrough which forms the open volume through which the connector can be passed. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the extending body is configured to be placed adjacent the D-ring when the adapter is placed into the looped volume. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the extending body comprises an extending slot through which a portion of the D-ring is passed to be positioned within an extending passage formed within the extending body when the adapter is placed in connection with the safety harness. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the extending body comprises an extending passage which forms the volume through which a connector can be passed. 
     
     
         22 . A system, comprising:
 a safety harness comprising webbing and a D-shim, the D-shim including two spaced slots through which each of two sections of the webbing pass, the safety harness further comprising a D-ring connected between the D-shim and the two sections of webbing passing between the two space slots via a connector passage of the D-ring, each of the two section of the webbing passing through the connector passage, and   an adapter configured to form a connection with a connector, the connector being adapted to connect a device to the safety harness, the adapter comprising an extending body adapted to maintain an open volume between the two sections of the webbing extending between the two spaced slots and an upper surface of the D-shim so that the connector may be passed through the volume to removably connect the connector to the safety harness, the extending body of the adapter being formed separately from the D-shim and from the D-ring, the extending body being configured to be placed into a looped volume between the two sections of the webbing extending between the two spaced slots and an upper surface of the D-shim with the D-ring connected to the two section of webbing extending between the two spaced slots.